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SummaryCell fate acquisition is a fundamental developmental process in all multicellular organisms. Yet, much is unknown regarding how a cell traverses the pathway from stem cell to terminal differentiation. Advances in single cell genomics1 hold promise for unraveling developmental mechanisms2–3 in tissues4, organs5–6, and organisms7–8. However, lineage tracing can be challenging for some tissues9 and integration of high-quality datasets is often necessary to detect rare cell populations and developmental states10,11. Here, we harmonized single cell mRNA sequencing data from over 110,000 cells to construct a comprehensive atlas for a stereotypically developing organ with indeterminate growth, the Arabidopsis root. To test the utility of the atlas to interpret new datasets, we profiled mutants for two key transcriptional regulators at single cell resolution, shortroot and scarecrow. Although both transcription factors are required for early specification of cell identity12, our results suggest the existence of an alternative pathway acting in mature cells to specify endodermal identity, for which SHORTROOT is required. Uncovering the architecture of this pathway will provide insight into specification and stabilization of the endodermis, a tissue analogous to the mammalian epithelium. Thus, the atlas is a pivotal advance for unraveling the transcriptional programs that specify and maintain cell identity to regulate organ development in space and time.

BackgroundFragaria vesca is a low-growing, small-fruited diploid strawberry species commonly called woodland strawberry. It is native to temperate regions of Eurasia and North America and while it produces edible fruits, it is most highly useful as an experimental perennial plant system that can serve as a model for the agriculturally important Rosaceae family. A draft of the F. vesca genome sequence was published in 2011 [Nat Genet 43:223,2011]. The first generation annotation (version 1.1) were developed using GeneMark-ES+[Nuc Acids Res 33:6494,2005]which is a self-training gene prediction tool that relies primarily on the combination of ab initio predictions with mapping high confidence ESTs in addition to mapping gene deserts from transposable elements. Based on over 25 different tissue transcriptomes, we have revised the F. vesca genome annotation, thereby providing several improvements over version 1.1.ResultsThe new annotation, which was achieved using Maker, describes many more predicted protein coding genes compared to the GeneMark generated annotation that is currently hosted at the Genome Database for Rosaceae (http://www.rosaceae.org/). Our new annotation also results in an increase in the overall total coding length, and the number of coding regions found. The total number of gene predictions that do not overlap with the previous annotations is 2286, most of which were found to be homologous to other plant genes. We have experimentally verified one of the new gene model predictions to validate our results.ConclusionsUsing the RNA-Seq transcriptome sequences from 25 diverse tissue types, the re-annotation pipeline improved existing annotations by increasing the annotation accuracy based on extensive transcriptome data. It uncovered new genes, added exons to current genes, and extended or merged exons. This complete genome re-annotation will significantly benefit functional genomic studies of the strawberry and other members of the Rosaceae.

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Brassinosteroids are plant steroid hormones that regulate diverse processes, such as cell division and cell elongation, through gene regulatory networks that vary in space and time. By using time series single-cell RNA sequencing to profile brassinosteroid-responsive gene expression specific to different cell types and developmental stages of the Arabidopsis root, we identified the elongating cortex as a site where brassinosteroids trigger a shift from proliferation to elongation associated with increased expression of cell wall–related genes. Our analysis revealed HOMEOBOX FROM ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA 7 ( HAT7 ) and GT-2-LIKE 1 ( GTL1 ) as brassinosteroid-responsive transcription factors that regulate cortex cell elongation. These results establish the cortex as a site of brassinosteroid-mediated growth and unveil a brassinosteroid signaling network regulating the transition from proliferation to elongation, which illuminates aspects of spatiotemporal hormone responses.

A fundamental question in developmental biology is how the progeny of stem cells become differentiated tissues. The Arabidopsis root is a tractable model to address this question due to its simple organization and defined cell lineages. In particular, the zone of dividing cells at the root tip, the root apical meristem, presents an opportunity to map the gene regulatory networks underlying stem cell niche maintenance, tissue patterning, and cell identity acquisition. To identify molecular regulators of these processes, studies over the last twenty years employed global profiling of gene expression patterns. However, these technologies are prone to information loss due to averaging gene expression signatures over multiple cell types and/or developmental stages. Recently developed high-throughput methods to profile gene expression at single-cell resolution have been successfully applied to plants. Here, we review insights from the first published single-cell mRNA sequencing and chromatin accessibility datasets generated from Arabidopsis roots. These papers successfully reconstruct developmental trajectories, phenotype cell identity mutants at unprecedented resolution, and reveal cell-type-specific responses to environmental stimuli. The experimental insight gained from Arabidopsis paves the way to profile roots from additional species.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are plant steroid hormones that regulate diverse processes such as cell division and cell elongation. BRs control thousands of genes through gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that vary in space and time. We used time series single-cell RNA-sequencing to identify BR-responsive gene expression specific to different cell types and developmental stages of the Arabidopsis root, uncovering the elongating cortex as a site where BRs trigger a shift from proliferation to elongation associated with increased expression of cell wall-related genes. Our analysis revealed HAT7 and GTL1 as BR-responsive transcription factors that regulate cell elongation in the cortex. These results establish the cortex as an important site for BR-mediated gene expression and unveil a BR signaling network regulating the transition from proliferation to elongation, illuminating new aspects of spatiotemporal hormone response.